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Girls Decide

Around the world, girls aged 10 to 19 account for 23% of all disease associated with pregnancy and childbirth. While an estimated 2.5 million have unsafe abortions every year. Worldwide, young women account for 60% of the 5.5 million young people living with HIV and/or AIDS.

When girls and young women have access to critical lifesaving services and information, and when they are able to make meaningful choices about their life path, they are empowered. Their quality of life improves, as does the well-being of their families and the communities in which they live. Their collective ability to achieve internationally agreed development goals is strengthened.

Girls Decide addresses critical challenges faced by young women around sexual health and sexuality and has produced a range of advocacy, educational and informational materials to improve sexual health and rights for girls and young women. In the European Network region a film on sexual and reproductive health decisions faced by a young Albanian woman was created. It won the prestigious International Video and Communications Award (IVCA).

Almost all Member Associations provide services to young people and one in every three clients is a young person below the age of 25.

As a matter of principle, IPPF stands by girls by respecting and fulfilling their right to high quality services. They stand up for girls by supporting them in making their own decisions related to sexuality and pregnancy. They stand for sexual and reproductive rights by addressing the challenges faced by young women and girls at local, national and international levels.